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Columbus Blue Jackets Today

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoRoss D. Franklin | Associated PressPhil Mickelson throws a football into the stands from the 16th tee during the third round of the Phoenix Open. His passes were better than his golf — he double-bogeyed the hole.

Tennis

Bryan twins’ doubles win keeps U.S. hopes alive

Bob and
Mike Bryan beat
Dominic Inglot and
Colin Fleming 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to pull the United States to 2-1 against Britain
in the first round of the Davis Cup at Petco Park in San Diego.

The Bryans, who are identical twins, breezed through the fourth set and won the match on a smash
by Bob.

The match will be decided today in reverse singles, when Wimbledon winner
Andy Murray of Britain faces
Sam Querrey and
James Ward of Britain faces
Donald Young. Murray won the opening singles match in straight sets against Young
on Friday and Ward rallied to beat Querrey in five sets.

• Top-seeded
Maria Sharapova lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in an all-Russian semifinal of the Open GDF Suez in
Paris.

Pavlyuchenkova will play third-seeded
Sara Errani of Italy in her first final since the Korea Open in September. Errani
outlasted
Alize Cornet of France 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Golf

Largest crowd ever sees some unusual play

A desert critter saved leader
Bubba Watson at least a stroke in the Phoenix Open. Some pigskin play cost
Phil Mickelson to the chagrin of the largest crowd in golf history.

The estimated 189,722 fans had a lot to see on a sunny, cool day at TPC Scottsdale.

Watson’s drive on the par-5 13th went into a desert bush and settled next to a burrowing animal
hole that would have interfered with his swing. He got a free drop, ended up saving par on the way
to a 3-under-par 68 and a two-stroke lead at 15 under.

Mickelson made a double bogey on the par-3 16th hole, the 20,000-seat stadium hole where he “
lost focus” thinking about throwing footballs into the crowd. He had a 72 to drop to 3 under.

Kevin Stadler was second after a 67.
Ryan Moore had a 64 to join
Harris English (69) and
Hideki Matsuyama (66) at 12 under.

• Defending champion
Stephen Gallacher had seven birdies and an eagle on the back nine to surge past
Rory McIlroy and take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Dubai Desert
Classic in the United Arab Emirates.

Gallacher equaled the PGA European Tour record for the lowest nine-hole score with an inward 28
for a 9-under 63. That gave him a 16-under total of 200, with McIlroy in second after 69.
Tiger Woods was 11 shots back after a 70.

Thorbjoern Olesen of Denmark shot a 65 to sit tied for third with
Brooks Koepka of the United States, another two shots behind Gallacher.

Elsewhere

Australia will limit athletes’ movements at Olympics

The Australian Olympic Committee imposed travel restrictions on team members in Sochi, advising
athletes not to travel into downtown areas outside the secured perimeter of Olympic Games
venues.

Team chief
Ian Chesterman outlined the restrictions, saying they followed general advice from
the Department of Foreign Affairs to “exercise a high degree of caution” in Russia.

• Two lugers who will compete at the Sochi Olympics helped the Americans win a silver medal in
the team relay at the junior world championships in Igls, Austria.

Summer Britcher and
Tucker West competed in the singles portions of the team relay for the U.S., which
finished runner-up to Austria. Britcher is 19 and West 18, and both will make their Olympic debuts
in Sochi. They teamed with 17-year-olds
Justin Kreson and
Tristan Jeskanen for the relay silver.

Britcher was fifth in the women’s singles competition and West was ninth in the men’s race.
Another 2014 U.S. Olympian,
Aidan Kelly, was 14th.

• Right-handed starter
Doug Fister and the Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a contract to avoid
arbitration.

Fister was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a trade this offseason after he went 14-9 with a
3.67 ERA in 2082/3 innings in 2013.